Process of distilling or refining hydrocarbon oils and spirits.



PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

L. GATHMANN. PROCESS OF DISTILLING OR REFINING HYDROOABBON O-ILS AND SPIRITS.

APPLICATION FILED APR 22, 1904. NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES latented August 30, 1904.

PATENT- Orricn.

PROCESS OF DlSTlLLlNG 0R REFINING HYDROCARBON OILS AND SPIRITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,? 96, dated August 30, 1904:.

Original application filed August 5, 1903, Serial No. 168,289. Divided and this application filed April 22, 1904.

No. 204,369. (No specimens.)

To all LU/L077? it TIL/L1] concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS GATHMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Washington, District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of Distilling or Refining Hydrocarbon Oils and Spirits, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved process of distilling or evaporating hydrocarbon oils and spirits, &c., and has for its object to render the process more expeditious and considerably cheaper.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed in carrying out my process, and in the accompanying drawings I have shown one form of apparatus, which I do, however, not desire to claim herein, as the apparatus and system is the subject-matter of another application for patent,filed August 5,1903, Serial No. 168,289, and of which this present application is a division.

In the drawings, which are merely illustrative, Figure 1 represents a perspective view, partly in section,,of a form of apparatus in which the process can be carried out. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the still or evaporator.

In the drawings, 3 represents a still or evaporator located adjacent to a condenser 4, heater 5, rotary pump 6, and vacuum-pump 7. The

still is located over a heater or furnace 8, which may be of any ordinary or preferred form.

9 is a vacuum flue or pipe.

9 is a manipulating-valve.

10 represents circulating-fines in the still.

11 is the flue connecting the still with the condenser.

12, 12, and 12 are the eduction-ports for the condensates in the order of their volatility. 13, 13, and 13 are the receptacles for said condensates. 14, 14, and 14" are the eduction-ports of said receptacles.

15, 16, and 17 are the induction-ports for cooling medium for condenser 4. 18 is a regulating-valve for the same.

19 is the supply-pipe for the still 3, and 20 is the regulating-valve for the same.

Serial 21 is a thermometer, and 22 a vacuum-gage.

23 is a manhole.

24, 25, and 26 are compartments.

27 is a condenser, and 28. is an automatic vacuum-regulator.

In operation the process to efl ect adistillation of hydrocarbon oils and spirits is as follows: The still 3 may be supplied, through the pipe 19, with the valve 20 to regulate same. The vacuum-pump 7 is designed to cause any desired vacuum during the process of distillation and is regulated according to the indications of the vacuum-gage 22. The materials in the still are then heated to the required temperature necessary for the volatilization of the constituents to be separated therefrom, similarly as is done in present methods. WV-hen the desired heat and the desired vacuum are attained, the rotary pump 6 is set in motion to-cause the circulation of the gaseous fluid through the heater 5, through the materialsin the still 3, then through the fiue 11 into the condenser 4, compartment 24, where the heaviest constituent is condensed and drawn oil? through the eduction-port 12. The gaseous fluid then passes on through condenser 4, compartment 25,where the next heaviest constituent is condensed and drawn ofl through eduction-port 12, and so on until all the constituents are condensed in the order of their volatility in the usual manner. The fluid current passes through and beyond all the condensing-compartments and will be practically freed from the volatile constituents. It may then be returned into the rotary pump 6, completing one circuit. The heater 5, which may be of any usual or preferred construction, is designed to restore the lost heat to the gaseous fluid before-it again enters the still. When the lighter constituents have been sufficiently distilled, the heat of the contents of the still 3 is raised as may be desired until the next heavier constituent or constituents are distilled as desired. This operation is repeated until the distillation is practically completed. The condenser may be of any ordinary or preferred construction, adapted for fractional condensation preferred, and may receive its cooling medium in the usual manner and is supplied, as shown in the drawings, through the inductionports 15, 16, and 17. Said cooling medium may consist of water or crude petroleum, the latter preferred, as said opera tion already partly heats it for the still 3 when one charge of the latter has been distilled. The fluid current mentioned circulating continuously during this ODtBlitblOD may be at mospheric air or non-combustible gases, like carbonic acid, nitrogen, &c. Closing the manipulating-valve 9 would discontinue the circuit, and in thisevent the rotary pump 6 could be dispensed with. It may not be necessary to maintain a circulation in a closed circuit at all times, though a partial vacuum may be maintained by operating the vacuum-1mm p 7 and the automatic vacuum-regulator 28. The same fluid current need not be returned through the circuit continuouslythat is to say, after the completion of one circuit said gaseous fluid may be blown into a large condenser and a fresh supply circulated through the system under any desired vacuum.

It is obvious that many modifications will suggest themselves for instance, as to the proper temperature to be applied while the process is in operation. In this process the same rule may be followed as is usually practiced in distilling petroleum, &c.--that is, the lighter volatile constituents are first evapo rated and the temperature is gradually raised step by step until all the volatile constituents are evaporated as may be desired. However, in this instance the vacuum, volume, and force of the air or fluid current may be varied, as may be found most advantageous, at every stage of the operation and according to materials to be treated.

While 1 have described particularly the process of distilling or evaporating hydrocarbon oils or spirits, it should, however, be understood that I do not limit my invention to these materials, as my process may be advantageously employed in the distillation or evaporation of various liquids.

I am aware that prior to my invention distillation and evaporation has been accomplished under a vacuum in conjunction with heaters, condensers, and vacuum pumps. Therefore 1 do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

\Vhatl claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of distilling or refining hydrocarbon oils or spirits which consists in causing a circulation of a gaseous fluid under diminished atmospheric pressure through said liquid to be distilled or refined, causing a fractional condensation of the distilled or refined product and returning said gaseous fluid through said liquid under treatment.

2. The process of distilling or refining petroleum which consists in causing a circulation or a gaseous fluid under diminished atmospheric pressure through the petroleum to be distilled or refined, gradually raising the temperature of said petroleum until all the volatile constituents are practically evaporated, causing a fractional condensation of the distilled or refined product and returning said gaseous fluid through said liquid under treatment.

3. The process of distilling or refining hydrocarbon oils or spirits which consists in causing a circulation of a gaseous fluid under diminished atmospheric pressure through the liquid to be distilled or refined, causing a fractional condensation of the distilled or refined product, restoring the lost heat to said gaseous fluid and returning same through said liquid under treatment.

i. In the process of distilling or evaporating liquids, the process which consists in circulating a gaseous fluid under less than at mospheric pressure through a liquid and in a closed circuit by means of a circulating-pump, and condensing absorbed vapors from said gaseous fluid prior to its entry into the pump, substantially as described.

5. 1n the process of distilling or evaporating liquids, the process which consists in circulating a gaseous fluid. under less than atl'l'lOSPllGI'lC pressure through a liquid and in a closed circuit by means of a circulating-pump, condensing absorbed vapors from said gaseous fluid prior to its entry into the pump, reheating said gaseous fluid and returning the same through said liquid under treatment, substantially as described.

6. In the process of distilling or evaporating liquid, the process which consists in circulating a gaseous fluid througl'l the liquid, in a closed circuit, by means of a circulatingpump; maintaining said gaseous fluid below normal atmospheric pressure by means of a vacuum pump; condensing the evaporated constituents, and returning said gaseous fluid through said liquid under treatment, substantiall y as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS GATHMANN.

Witnesses:

OLGA G'A'IHMANN, PAUL (:irAIl-IMANN. 

